"The Blood Of The Everlasting Covenant"    

Hebrews 13:20

 

     The force of a testament, or covenant, is the death of the testator (Heb. 9:16-17). Even so, with regard to the everlasting covenant, its benefits and blessings flow to chosen sinners only upon the condition of Christ's death as our Substitute. This was the ultimate stipulation of the covenant. But once fulfilled, the covenant was ratified by blood and its blessings cannot, upon any grounds, be withheld from those whose names are written in the book of life from eternity. I see a fivefold connection between the shed blood of Christ and the covenant of grace.

     1. WITH REGARD TO GOD THE SON, the shedding of his blood fulfilled everything the Father required and everything the Son agreed to for the salvation of his people. At the close of his earthly life the Son of God had finished the work of establishing a righteousness to be imputed to us (John 17:4). When he died at Calvary, our Substitute, by the sacrifice of himself, finished the work of atonement and satisfaction (John 19:30).

     2. WITH REGARD TO GOD THE FATHER, the shed blood of his darling Son puts the Almighty under obligation, inescapable obligation, to save all the redeemed,pardon all the ransomed, and give grace and glory to all for whom atonement was made. Both the oath of God (Heb. 6:17-18) and the justice of God (Rom. 3:24-26) compel him to save every soul for whom Christ shed his blood.

     3. WITH REGARD TO GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, the blood of Christ is that which he sprinkles and effectually applies to the hearts of chosen sinners in effectual calling (Heb. 9:12-14), by which he proclaims peace.

     4. WITH REGARD TO BELIEVERS, the sin-atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is the solitary ground of peace and assurance before God. His blood is God's token to us for good (Rom. 8:32).

"His oath, His covenant and His blood

 

 Support me in the whelming flood!"

 

     5. WITH REGARD TO GUILTY SINNERS, the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the sinner's Substitute, is the only way of access to God (Heb. 10:22). But it is a sure way of access to him! Come to God through the blood and he cannot refuse you!

 

Don Fortner